The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-05-07
\ NIGHT AMONG SNAKES.
An Old Hunters Terrible Exper:ence In Z
New Mexican ShantY.

An Old Hunters Terrible Experience in .
New Mexican Shanty.
..l've heard a good many yarns about
,nakes.'' said an old hunter to New York
Sun correspondent, ssbut ] can relate some
experiences to make your hair stand up
AS a woodsman didn't mind meeting with
. RATHER now and then, and I've got up in
the morning to shake 'em of my blankets.
but there was one time when was really
broken up. It was on the Upper Pecos
river, New Mexico, before the war. was
in the mountains to the north of where
Fort Sumner now stands. There was
sort Of trading post there then, and about
company of soldiers were stationed
there. When you come to talk about rat.
tlesnakes you want to go to New Mexico
to find the biggest, sassiest and hardest
bitter of the lot He is always ready for
rattles before he strikes or waits ten
minutes afterward Some rattlers will
crawl away from you sooner than have
row, but these New Mexico fellows wont
bulge until they are whipped
ST was sort of prospecting and hunting
together, an it was midsummer. had
toggled up q sort Of shanty to keep the
weather out, and was getting along as we'll
as could be expected when began to notice
an increase in the number of rattlers. I'd
come across one every hour or two, instead
of one in two days, and had several mar
row escapes from being bitten 1t struck
me that they were also unusually sassy,
but went on with my work and didn't get
too much upset. had made my shanty
against a sort of cave in the side Of rocky
hill and the fire by which I cooked my
fodder and warmed myself was at the
door-a leetle inside of it, perhaps. On the
evening Of which am writing in particu-
lar the weather changed cold, and built
an unusually hot fire to keep the chills of.
My bed was crossways of the shanty, and
nearer the fire than the back end. When
lay down it was with my face to the fire,
and had a heavy Indian blanket covering
me from toes to ears. went to sleep
directly, and reckon should have put in
a whole night without a break if some
thing hadn't wriggled over me and woke
me up.
81 didn't fling off the blankets and rouse
up because had banished sleep. Your old
woodsman learns better than that the
first years of his experience. I lay there
wondering what had aroused me, and
feeling some anxiety for fear bear had
scented me out, when there was another
wriggle, and then got pointer: A hiss
or two warned me of the nature of my WIS.,
used to the semi-darkness got shock to
take my breath away. The fire had
burned down to bed Of Goals, but be-
tween me and it I could make out dozen
wriggling Objects and knew they were
snakes They had crept out of the rocks
behind me, attracted by the light and
warmth, and every one must have run over
my body. The space was getting crowd
ed, and the presence of the last Corners
was apparently objected to. About the
time got it through my head what was
going on brand fell down and made a lit
tie blaze, and by this increased light I
counted eleven old rattlers between me
and the fire. A few were coiled up and
apparently taking solid comfort, but 9TH
ers were running about in frisky way
and now and then coillng around each
other.
As told you, was covered clean up ex-
cept my head, and I'd have covered that
up mighty quick if I'd dared to move as
much as finger. There was only one
way to get out Of the shanty, and so long
Is the snakes held that must remain
quiet Ishut my eyes and tried to keep
my mind on something else, but in less
than five minutes was sweating like
trotting horse, and 1t required all my nerve
to keep from springing up could stand
the situation better with my eyes open,
and pretty soon I was considerably en-
oouraged by seeing most of the snakes
carl up close to the fire and go to sleep.
There were two big fellows, however, who
seemed determined to have it out, and
when they got the floor to themselves they
went at it to kill In their struggle they
twice brushed my face, and twice one Of
them chased the other over my body. One
Of them was finally crowded into the fire,
and no threw up the sponge and ran out
doors. The victor curled himself up, and
for the next two hours not a snake moved.
I might, perhaps, have rolled myself to
the back end of the shanty, but that would
not have bettered the situation. When
the snakes moved it would be toward their
quarters in the rocks and if 1 stood in
could see the starlight sky over the
anxiously watched for the coming of day.
The fire had by this time died almost out,
and the snakes had begun to grow uneasy.
One after another uncoiled himself and
crept lazily about, but not one made the
least move to retreat over my body or 60
out by the front way.
II was now suffering thousand tor.
ments from having lam so long in one po-
sition, but dared not move even finger.
The sweat trickled into my eyes and /
hardly dared to wink. 1t had been day
light three-quarters of an hour when I
felt that had got to make a move, even if
it was into the jaws of death. Ny only
show was to roll over toward the back of
the shanty and make grab for my gun.
IF there were any snakes curled up back
of me was goner. If those in front
were not frightened by the discharge Of
the gun would surely get bitten. had
Just drawn full breath to make ready for
the move when every snake suddenly
slipped out by the front way and whisked
out of sight You can guess wasn't long
getting hold of my gun, and as soon as
could get the -numbr ess out of my legs l
advanced to rekindle the fire. Then saw
the snakes congregated around and darting
their fangs into big toad thirty or forty
feet away. twas his hopping by the door,
way which drew them out. got the fire
blazing and then went at the serpents with
rocks and clubs, and had the satisfaction
of killing four or five Of them. When
the others had escaped me I returned to
the shanty to hang out my blankets and
cook breakfast I pulled the steaming
to the door to give them a shake